As a result, they ultimately decided to concentrate on growing gourmet mushrooms of exotic varieties uncommon in Singapore. They also explained that their vertically-integrated value chain enables them to produce a wider variety of fresher, higher-quality mushrooms, and they are currently in discussions to supply these to hotels, restaurants, cafes, and chefs, where demand for these mushrooms primarily lies.
Fogo Fungi cultivates their mushrooms using the waste matter of other agricultural processes, like sawdust from the timber industry and soybean waste from the soybean industry.
“In Singapore, food waste that is not re-purposed or recycled mostly gets incinerated at Waste-to-Energy plants or is sent to landfills, thereby increasing carbon emissions and contributing to climate change,” the team shared.
“We use clean and organic agricultural waste as part of our recipe to create a substrate that is nutritious enough for the mycelium, the root-like structure of the mushroom, to feed and grow on.”
Even their waste, spent mushroom substrate, an organic byproduct of the process, is subsequently composted and reintroduced to agriculture, thereby closing the loop of their sustainable food system.
Fogo Fungi’s urban farming system is an example of a full circle sustainable system, with no excess waste produced that is not upcycled. This also results in a lower carbon footprint, combating climate change.
This technology development pathway was fine-tuned and made more viable through various check-in sessions with mentors in the RP-Trendlines programme. They were especially grateful for the programme’s specific focus on the domain of agri-food, as the Fogo Fungi team were able to gain access to industry knowledge on a deeper level — a unique strength that greatly benefitted them in their endeavours.
Fogo Fungi utilises locally sourced raw materials, which not only reduces reliance on imported materials and improves traceability, but also reduces carbon footprint overall.
“Currently, Singapore heavily relies on imports for food, with 90% of our foods being imported. This dependence makes our food supply vulnerable to disruptions, highlighting our food security issue and the pressing need to address it,” they shared.
With their technology and their solutions for sustainability, they aim to be a key contributor in this sector.
“However, our efforts alone will not be enough to get us there. This requires the involvement of the next generation to take up the challenge to be changemakers in this space.”
The Fogo Fungi team hopes that, beyond their solutions, their journey can inspire the next generation to take action and join them in advancing towards Singapore’s 30 by 30 goal.
They firmly believe that education holds the key to instigating change and advancing towards a greener future. The team’s objective is to empower the public with essential knowledge about food, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding sustainability.
As Fogo Fungi mentions, “For us, the UN Sustainability Goals reflect a global commitment to improve pressing issues and serve as a guideline that navigates us towards a more sustainable future.” They are thankful for support here from Singapore and abroad that allows them to be more courageous in their innovations and aspirations.
Similarly, the Fogo Fungi team is grateful for the continued mentorship and partnerships with the organisers, mentors, and other cohort-mates and alumni from the RP-Trendlines programme. Whether through publicity, partnerships and promotions, continued advice, or simply camaraderie as friends with a common vision for sustainability, the connections made here continue to be vital and relevant for them as they reach towards their goals as a sustainable agri-tech start-up.